Anthony Druid (Earth-616)
Guntag Borghelm, Midnight Eye, Master of the Unknown, Scott | Identity = Public | Affiliation = Formerly , , , , , | Relatives = Amergin (10th century ancestor, deceased); Sebastian Druid (son) | Universe = Earth-616 | BaseOfOperations = Doctor Druid's Sanctum, Boston, Massachusetts; formerly mobile, Avengers Mansion, New York City | Gender = Male | Height = 6'5" | Weight = 311 lbs | Eyes = Green | Hair = Black | UnusualFeatures = | CharRef = | Citizenship = American | Citizenship2 = United Kingdom, English | MaritalStatus = Single | Occupation = Occult expert, lecturer, author, adventurer; former psychiatrist, explorer | Education = MD from Harvard, degree in psychologycorrected on marvel.com | Origin = Human magician | PlaceOfBirth = England | Creators = Larry Lieber; Jack Kirby; Steve Ditko | First = Amazing Adventures #1 | First2 = | Death = | HistoryText = Early Life Anthony Ludgate was born and raised in England. He left to further his studies in the United States of America where he attended Harvard University. He earned a MD from Harvard, degree in psychology and became a psychiatrist. Ancient One Anthony Ludgate sought to learn the ancient powers of his ancestral Druids. He gave psychology lectures when not studying the occult. Knowing that the Druids kept no written records, he became interested in the Tibetan monks after hearing they had an oral tradition. Thinking that perhaps the secrets had been passed on, or that he could recreate them by learning the methods used by the monks, he sought out a lama who in actuality was the Ancient One. The Ancient One was more interested in seeking a worthy successor than hearing tales of the Celts. He unlocked Anthony's mystic potential and taught him a number of spells. Anthony left and decided to become Dr. Druid. He briefly assisted some monster hunters that included Makkari against the Deviants. He would be eclipsed by the Ancient One's successor, Doctor Strange soon after. Early Adventures In his first recorded adventure as Dr Druid he was hired to investigate a missing ocean linear and discovered “The Lost City of Atlantis” and a race of Atlanteans (though not Homo Mermanus). Here he found the missing ship and hypnotized the entire city into believing that there was no human population on the surface in order to protect humanity and rescue the ship. He also foiled invasion attempts by a few alien species including, Zamu who was attempting to become governor, an unknown alien race who Druid managed to convince through telepathy that the human race were in fact derricks and too powerful for them to conquer, and Krogg who used matter-transporter technology to steal houses and hold them for ransom to raise money to try and plunder the earth of its resources. Joining the Avengers Anthony was fairly successful as a superhero and even became a member of the Avengers. However, his arrogance and weakness for women led him to be seduced and manipulated by Ravonna in her guise as Kang Nebula, or the Temptress. Believing he was acting to preserve the Avengers against a future threat only he could stop, Druid continually underminded the Avengers' chairwoman, Captain Marvel, until she suffered serious injuries in battle. He then psychically influenced the Captain and remaining team members into naming him the replacement chairman. Soon all of the Avengers fell under Nebula's control, and she guided them in a quest to find the Dreaming Celestial's ultimate weapon by piercing the future Time Bubble. Instead, rival Kangs attacked Kang Nebula and her Avengers. The lovesick Druid and Ravonna were sucked out into the wild timestream, left adrift for months. Druid and Ravonna eventually found their way back into the regular timestream. Anthony finally managed to shake Ravonna's control over him, and even received a new lease on life, restored to a younger and fitter body. Following this, Druid led a group of occult adventurers, the Shock Troop, for a short time. Doctor Strange pressed Anthony into commanding the Secret Defenders. He had also made a deal for the life of Shadowoman with the demon Slorioth. Eventually he grew tired of leading a team and faked his death after summoning Slorioth. Druid then spent his days drinking and allowing a number of tenants, who happened to be novice magic users, to rent from an apartment he had gained by hypnotizing the previous owner. One of them uttered an incantation from Druid's books. Hellstorm appeared acting as Satan. Druid tried to save the young man, but was beaten and mocked. Humiliated, Druid recited forbidden Druidic rituals that been in his mind since he first met the Ancient One. With his powers increased, he sought to bring about destruction and rebirth as the last Druid. Hellstorm was still unimpressed and sent Nekra to seduce him. She succeeded and eventually betrayed Druid, shooting him with a Breathing Gun, a magical weapon designed to kill other supernatural forces. Hellstorm then ignited Druid's corpse and threw it into the garbage, as he had promised to do earlier. Druid was briefly revived by the Grim Reaper to battle the Avengers, but regained his senses and helped them defeat the Reaper so his spirit could remain at peace. Druid was completely revived when the Chaos King laid siege on all reality, and the gates of the Underworld opened, allowing any heroes there to escape, such as Druid himself, Deathcry, Captain Marvel, Swordsman, and Yellowjacket. They fought valently against the Grim Reaper, but they all perished again in the end of the Chaos War. Doctor Druid later turned up alive when Nighthawk, Tyndall, and Blur were brought to his castle. Doctor Druid revealed to the captives that despite being dead, his soul took on a corporal form when it encountered Weirdworld, and that as long as he remained in the magical realm, he was essentially alive. He furthermore elaborated that Ogeode had built him a massive crystal atop the castle, which amplified his mind control abilities, bringing nearly everyone within this region of Weirdworld under his thrall, though for some reason, possibly related to time travel, Thundra and Tyndall were immune to his grip. | Powers = *'Druidic Magic:' Druid possessed extensive knowledge of ancient ritual magic practiced by his Celtic ancestors. He was also fluent with Oriental mysticism passed on to him by the Ancient One. *'Oriental Mysticism' powers include voice manipulation (to appear somewhere else) and movement at the "speed of thought." *'Magic Detection:' Druid could innately sense magic *'Mesmerism/Hypnotism: '''Druid could control what others see, hear, and do as long as their minds were less adept than his own. *'Body Control:' Through yoga like practices Druid could control his body functions to a high degree, such as tightening his muscles to better resist bullets. *'Telepathy''' *'Telekinesis:' Druid was capable of levitating himself or other objects. *'Nature Control:' Manipulate plants, animals, and the elements with 'all the terrible power' of the Druids. | Abilities = Anthony has extensive knowledge of the ancient Druids, Celts and astrology. He is a veteran medical doctor and psychiatrist. He is well versed in yogic practices. Druid is also a skilled Judo martial artist and is proficient in staff combat. | Strength = Normal human male with intensive regular exercise. | Weaknesses = Druidic magic is affected by iron. | Equipment = gold medallion for hypnotism. | Transportation = Formerly Avenger's Quinjet, Monster Hunter vehicles. | Weapons = | Notes = * The original version of Doctor Druid appeared as Dr. Droom in the inaugural issue of Amazing Adventures in 1961. He appeared in each issue until the comic was re-branded as Amazing Adult Fantasy, making Dr. Droom Marvel's first recurring Silver-Age Characters character. Dr. Droom was a white man who received mystical powers by being physically transformed into an Asian man. * When this story was reprinted in 1975, the racial aspect of his origin was edited out, and Dr. Droom was renamed "Dr. Druid," so as to avoid confusion with Dr. Doom. * Druid had a condominium in Boston, Massachusetts which appeared contemporary. But upon entrance, visitors viewed that is was replete with arcane artifacts and devices. * Anthony Druid was Buddhist. Category:Buddhist Characters | Trivia = * When he had Doctor Druid join the Avengers, writer Roger Stern intended him to "fill the group's Pain-in-the-Ass Quotient," playing a role similar to the character Charles Emerson Winchester III in the TV series M*A*S*H by acting like an "erudite wise-ass." }} | Links = }} hu:Doktor Druid Category:Telepaths Category:Telekinesis Category:Botanopathy Category:Zoopathy Category:Hypnosis Category:Harvard University Student